Booth.



C. J. BURTON.

BOOTH.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17, 1911.

2 SHEBTBBEEET 1.

Queuing CHARLES J. BURTON, OF BEATRICE, NEBRASKA.

BOOTH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13,1912.

Application filed August 17, 1911. Serial No. 644,655.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. BURTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beatrice, in the county of Gage and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Booth, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to folding booths for voting and other purposes.

The object of the presentinvention is to improve the construction of folding booths, more especially that shown and described in Patent, No. 895,538, granted to me Aug. 11, 1908, and to simplify the construction and lessen the cost of the same, and at the same time increase the eficiency of the structure, both as to its ability to support the curtain or wall in position for use and to fold compactly when not in use.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consist-s in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a perspective view of a double booth, constructed in accordance with this invention, the curtain being removed from one of the inclosures. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the same. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view, illustrating the construction of the pivoted interlocking links. Fig. 1 is a detail sec tional view, taken substantially on the line l4 of Fig. 2.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, 1l designate spaced standards, preferably constructed of angle metal and connected by transversely disposed relatively long and short links 2 and 3, arranged horizontally and connected together by a pivot 4 and to the standards by pivots and 6. The pivots 4, 5 and 6 consist of rivets, or other suitable fastening devices, and the pivot 41; pierces the inner end of the short link 2 and passes through the relatively long link 3 at a point intermediate of the ends thereof, the link 3 having its inner portion 7 overlapping the link 2 to form a locking arm. The locking arm is bent outwardly from the link 2, and it has its engaging terminal 8 bent at right angles and reduced at 9 to form a projecting lug for engaging a slot or opening 10 of the link 2, the lug 9 being retained in engagement with the slot or opening of the link 2 through the resiliency of the locking arm. The locking arm is adapted to be readily sprung out of engagement with the slot or opening 10 of the link 2 to permit the links to swing on their pivots for folding the booth. When the long and short links are interlocked, they form a rigid transverse brace for maintaining the standards in spaced relation.

Two sets of links 2 and 3 are employed, one set being arranged at the upper ends of the standards 1, and the other set being arranged at the lower portions of the standards, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The standards are also connect ed by crossed braces 11, located between the upper and lower links and constructed similar to the crossed braces, shown and described in the aforesaid patent, each brace being pivoted on the standards, as shown at 12. and having a stud 13 at its other end and detachably engaged in a key hole slot 14 formed in the other standard. The crossed braces cooperate with the links in rigidly maintaining the standards in a separated condition and in parallel relation.

The standards are maintained in an upright position by a base consisting of oppositely disposed sleepers 15, pivotally connected as shown at 16 to the lower end of each standard and extending in opposite directions therefrom, the sleepers at one side of the booth being arranged in parallelism with those at the opposite side. The sleepers may be secured to the floor by any suitable fastening devices, and inclined braces 17 which are pivoted at their lower ends to the sleepers 15 by rivets 18, or other suitable fastening devices, are arranged in pairs at the sides of the booth and extend upwardly and inwardly to the standards, the members of each pair of braces 17 being pivotally connected at their upper ends by headed studs 19, which engage in key hole slots 20 in the standards, whereby the upper ends of the inclined braces 17 are det-achably interlocked with the standards to maintain the sleepers rigidly in a horizontal position when the Y are engaged with the key hole slots of the booth is set up for use. The key hole slots 20 have their narrow or constricted portions at the top to receive the studs, which hold the braces 17 and the sleepers 15 against upward movement. When the headed studs 19 are disengaged from the slots 20, the inclined braces and the sleepers may be compactly folded against the standards.

Shelf supporting arms 21 are pivoted by headed studs 22 to the standards for supporting shelves 23, preferably constructed of hingedly connected sections, provided at their ends with hooks 24 to engage over the upper edges of the shelf supporting arms 21.

Curtain or wall supporting arms 25 are pivotally connected as shown at 26 to the upper ends of the standards, and are disposed in a horizontal position when the frame of the booth is set up. Upper and lower braces 27 and 28 are employed for holding the curtain supporting arms and the shelf supporting arms in a horizontal position. The upper braces 27, which are arranged in pairs at the sides of the frame of the booth, are connected together at their lower ends by headed studs 29, and they extend upwardly and outwardly at an inclination' andare pivoted at their upper ends to the curtain or wall supporting arms 25 by rivets 30, or other suitable fastening devices. The headed studs 29 detachably engage key hole slots 31, formed in the standards and having constricted lower portions to hold the inclined upper braces 27 against downward movement when the studs are interlocked with the Key hole slots 31. The lower braces 28, which are arranged in pairs at the sides of the booth frame, extend upwardly and inwardly from the outer ends of the shelf supporting arms 21, and are pivoted to the same by rivets 32, or other suitable fastening devices. The upper ends of the lower inclined braces 28 are pivoted byrivets 33, or other suitable fastening devices to the lower portions of the upper inclined braces 27, arranged to be spaced from the lower headed studs 29. The headed studs 22, which pivotally connect the inner ends of the shelf supporting arms 21, are detachably engaged with key hole slots 34, formed in the standards and having constricted portions to receive the studs 22 for supporting the inner ends of the arms 21. When the headed studs 22 and 29 are disengaged from the key hole slots of the standards, the upper and lower supporting arms and the upper and lower inclined braces are adapted to fold compactly, and one of the members of each pair of lower braces 28 is provided at the inner edge with a notch or recess 35 to clear the headed stud 29 when the parts are folded. When the headed studs 22 and 29 posit-ion.

standards, the upper and lower supporting arms are firmly maintained in a horizontal The upper ends of the inclined braces 27 are connected with the upper curtain supporting arms at points intermediate of the ends thereof, the outer portions of the arms projecting beyond the upper ends of the braces 27 for engaging curtains 35. The curtain 35 is employed for each booth, and it extends across the space between the standards and along the same, and is provided at the top with marginal sockets 36, into which the outer portions of the curtain or wall supporting arms extend. The sockets are formed by casings or hems, suitable openings being formed in the same for the introduction of the outer portions of the curtain supporting arms. The curtains, which are arranged at the inner faces of the supporting arms and the braces, are connected with the outer portions of the upper arms 25 by the said sockets, and are secured to the inner port-ions of the arms 25 by means of straps 37, secured at one end to the inner face of the curtain and extending over the upper edges of the arms 25, and provided at their outer terminals with books 38 for engaging eyes 39, secured to the exterior of the curtain at opposite sides thereof. The curtains are connected with the lower shelf supporting arms 21 by means of the hooks 24:, which extend through slots or openings 40 of the sides of the curtain. By connecting the curtains with the upper and lower supporting arms, they are securely supported in position. The upright edges of each curtain preferably meet at one of the corners of the booth, and these edges are secured together by a hook and eye 41, or other suitable fastening means.

The structure when set up constitutes an elfective booth that entirely conceals the upper portion of a voter and permits him to prepare a ballot with utmost secrecy, and at the same time the structure can be readily and compactly folded, so that it will occupy but very little space and can be easily transported from one place to another and compactly stored when not in use.

The drawings show a double booth, but it i is obvious that a single boot-h may be used, and that the booth may be suspended from rafters or other supports, thereby dispensing with the lower supporting portions of the standards. In suspending the booth from rafters or other supports, it is preferable to use headed studs or fastening devices and key hole slots in the standards.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a standard, sleepers pivotally connected to the lower end of the standard and extending in opposite directions from the same, oppositely inclined braces pivotally connected at their lower ends to the sleepers and extending upwardly therefrom to the standard, and a pivot permanently pivoting the upper ends of the inclined braces together and detachably connecting the same to the standard, said braces and sleepers being foldable in joined relation against the standard when the pivot is disconnected therefrom, and the said braces in unfolding maintaining the pivot in proper position for engaging the standard.

2. The combination of a pair of standards, shelf supporting arms detachably connected at their inner ends with said standards, upper curtain supporting arms pivoted at their inner ends to the standards, braces pivotally connected at their upper ends to the outer portion of each of the curtain supporting arms With their lower ends detachably connected with the standards, and a second pair of braces pivoted at one end to the first pair of braces at a point near the lower ends thereof and at the other ends to the outer ends of the shelf supporting arms.

3. The combination of a standard provided with spaced key hole slots, foldable shelf supporting arms extending on each side of the standard, a headed stud pivotally connecting the inner ends of the shelf supporting arms and detachably engaging one of the said slots, curtain supporting arms pivoted at their inner ends to the standard and extending on each side thereof, upper inclined braces pivoted at their upper ends to the outer portion of curtain supporting arms and provided at their lower ends with a headed stud pivotally connecting the upper braces and detachably engaging the other slot of the standard, and lower inclined braces pivotally connected with the shelf supporting arms in their outer portions and with the upper braces at points spaced from the headed stud of the latter.

4. The combination of a pair of standards, shelf supporting arms detachably connected at their inner ends with said standards, up-

per curtain supporting arms pivoted at their inner ends to the standards, braces pivotally connected at their upper ends to the outer portion of each of the curtain supporting arms with their lower ends detachably connected with the standards, and a second pair of braces pivoted at one end to the first pair of braces at a point near the lower ends thereof and at the other ends to the outer ends of the shelf supporting arms, a curtain mounted upon the curtain supporting arms and a transverse shelf provided at its ends with hooks extending through openings in the curtain and engaging the shelf supporting arms.

5. The combination of a pair of standards, lower shelf supporting arms detachably connected at their inner ends to the said standards, upper curtain supporting arms pivoted at their inner ends to the standards, upper inclined braces extending from the standards to the outer portions of the curtain supporting arms and pivoted at their upper ends to the same, lower oppositely inclined braces pivoted at their lower ends to the outer portions of the shelf supporting arms and extending upwardly to the lower portions of the upper braces and pivotally connected to the same, means for detachably connecting the braces with the standards at a point between the upper and lower arms, a curtain extending across the space between the standards and having side portions arranged at the inner faces of the said arms and the said braces and provided at the lower curtain supporting arms with openings, and a transverse shelf provided at its ends with hooks extending through the openings of the curtain and engaging the shelf supporting arms.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES J. BURTON.

Witnesses:

W. H. DAVIS, C. S. YALE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

